Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek
Six days above 4,000 metres in the Thimphu highlands, among glacial lakes that most people in Bhutan have never seen.
Why we created this journey
Every journey we design starts with a question rather than an itinerary. What is the one thing about this part of Bhutan that someone should understand before they leave? The places and the days follow from that question, not the other way around.
We do not build journeys by stringing together famous sights. We build them by thinking about who the traveller is, what they will notice, and what they will carry home with them. That takes longer. We think it is worth it.
Moments you may remember
- Watching first light reach the valley before anyone else is awake
- A conversation that runs longer than the meal
- An afternoon with nowhere particular to be
- The sound of a river you did not know you needed to hear
- A handwritten postcard arriving after you have returned home
This journey may suit you if
- You prefer a few places experienced well over many places ticked off
- You are more interested in how people live than in how many temples you visit
- You value time and space in your travels
- You do not want to change hotels every night
- You are comfortable at a slower pace and find that pace more rewarding
From USD 390 per person per day for groups of 2, fully inclusive of accommodation, private vehicle and licensed guide, all meals, permits, SDF, and 24-hour support. Rates are tailored to your group. Customised to fit you.
Highlights of this journey
- The Dagala plateau above 4,300 metres — dozens of glacial lakes visible from the high ridges on a clear day, no other trekkers
- Trout fishing in the high-altitude lakes — rods and permits included for guests who want to use them
- Four nights camping above 4,000 metres under some of the darkest skies in South Asia
- The Himalayan panorama from the high plateau: Chomolhari, Jichu Drake, Masagang, and the entire northern range on a clear morning
- A return to Thimphu from the south — descending into the capital from its own high country, a perspective most visitors never have
- The upper Thimphu valley watershed: the source of the Wang Chhu river, high enough that the city below is only notional
Sample itineraries
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Day 1 Thimphu. Acclimatisation.
Arrive in Thimphu (or transfer from your existing Bhutan itinerary). Acclimatisation afternoon: a walk above the city to 3,000 metres, to begin adjusting before the serious altitude tomorrow. Gear check with the trekking guide. Dinner at the hotel.
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Day 2 Trek Day 1. Chamgang to Gur camp. (5–6 hours, ascent to 4,100m)
We drive to Chamgang village above Thimphu and begin on foot. The trail climbs steadily through oak and rhododendron forest for the first two hours, then breaks into open country above the treeline. We reach the first camp at Gur at 4,100 metres in the early afternoon — a wide flat area with the plateau opening above and Thimphu invisible below. Camp is already set. The altitude is noticeable but not debilitating at this pace.
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Day 3 Trek Day 2. Gur to Labatama camp. (6–7 hours, high point 4,320m)
The high day. We climb to the main plateau at 4,320 metres — the first of the lake concentrations is visible here, spread across the slope in the morning light. The route stays high for most of the day, moving between ridges with different lake clusters below each one. On a clear morning the northern Himalayan range is fully visible: Chomolhari, Jichu Drake, Masagang. Camp at Labatama at 4,200 metres. Trout fishing in the lake below camp if the group wishes.
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Day 4 Trek Day 3. Labatama to Jichu camp. (5–6 hours, stays above 4,000m)
The middle day of the plateau section. We traverse between lake groups on a route that stays above 4,000 metres throughout — the landscape here is tundra and water, with dwarf juniper in the hollows and nothing between you and the sky. Camp at Jichu at 4,100 metres beside a small lake that has no name on any map. Fishing available. Darkest sky of the route.
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Day 5 Trek Day 4. Jichu to Talakha. (5–6 hours, descent begins)
We begin descending from the plateau, dropping through the upper forest zone to Talakha monastery at 3,080 metres — a remote monastery above the southern Thimphu valley, served by a small community of monks. We camp near the monastery. The descent from the plateau into the trees, and then to the prayer flags at the monastery gate, is one of the most pronounced transitions on any Bhutanese trek.
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Day 6 Trek Day 5. Talakha to Thimphu. (3–4 hours)
A short final morning. We descend through the forest below Talakha to the road above Thimphu's southern neighbourhoods. Our vehicle meets us at the end of the trail. Hot shower at the hotel. The city below the plateau looks and feels different after four nights above it.
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Day 1 Thimphu. Acclimatisation.
Arrive in Thimphu. Acclimatisation walk above the city. Gear check. Dinner at the hotel.
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Day 2 Trek Day 1. Chamgang to Gur camp. (5–6 hours)
Drive to Chamgang, climb through forest and into open country. First camp at Gur, 4,100 metres.
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Day 3 Trek Day 2. Gur to Labatama. (6–7 hours)
High day on the plateau. Lake clusters below each ridge. The Himalayan panorama on a clear morning. Camp at Labatama, 4,200 metres.
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Day 4 Rest day at Labatama.
A full day on the plateau with no agenda. Walk to the lake clusters visible from camp and spend the morning there. Fish if you want to. Eat lunch slowly in the sun. Lie on the ground above 4,000 metres and watch the cloud move over the Himalayan range. This day is what the extra night buys.
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Day 5 Trek Day 3. Labatama to Jichu camp. (5–6 hours)
Traverse between lake groups above 4,000 metres. Camp at Jichu, 4,100 metres, beside an unnamed lake. Darkest sky of the route.
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Day 6 Trek Day 4. Jichu to Talakha. (5–6 hours)
Descend from the plateau through the upper forest to Talakha monastery at 3,080 metres. Camp near the monastery.
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Day 7 Trek Day 5. Talakha to Thimphu. (3–4 hours)
Short final descent through the forest to the road above Thimphu. Vehicle waiting. Hotel, hot shower, dinner in the city.
What is included
All accommodation (camping — high-quality tents and sleeping equipment)
Private vehicle transfers at start and end of trek
Licensed Bhutanese trekking guide throughout
Dedicated camp crew (cook, kitchen assistants, horse handlers)
All meals on trek (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, hot drinks)
All camping equipment (sleeping tents, kitchen tent, dining tent, toilet tent)
Fishing rods and permits (for guests who wish to fish)
All permits, entry fees, and trekking permits
Sustainable Development Fee (SDF)
24-hour in-country support
What is not included
International flights to Paro
Visa fee (USD 40)
Travel insurance (trekking coverage required)
Personal trekking equipment (packing list provided on booking)
Personal expenses and tipping
From this journey
What your journey gives back.
Bhutan is a carbon negative kingdom, where more than 70 percent of the land is covered in forests and the rivers remain clean and alive. The Sustainable Development Fee supports free healthcare, free education, and the protection of this extraordinary place.
This is not a tax. It is a shared commitment to preserve Bhutan for every generation that follows.
By visiting, you are not a tourist. You are a co-guardian of this kingdom.
Ready when you are.
Tell us roughly when you would like to come and how many you are. Our team in Thimphu will reply personally within 24 hours.
Plan this journey with our team